Centurion References

[Ian Collins]

Stephen

I have just ordered a Cent, I realy wanted a ARV so you could push me around the battlefield!!

Ian

[Stephen White]

Good news Ian. Hope there will be lot's of different Cents out there. How about an AVRE, less work to adapt?

I'm hoping someone will do a bridgelayer, complete with sixty odd bodies on top - that would make Lee a happy man.

Regards

Stephen

[David Skeldon]

I plan to do a bridge layer,But not sure about getting 60 figures,

David

[Stephen White]

Aussie Mk 5/1 in Vietnam

This is an excellent account of Australian armour and armoured cavalry in Vietnam, including an account of the Battle of Bihn Ba in which the armour had a vital role.
There aren't many pictures but that's more than made up by a lot of first hand accounts.

It may be out of print but Amazon have a kindle version for download

RB06782.jpg (128.28 KiB) Viewed 8836 times

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jungle-Tracks-A ... 1865084492

Regards

Stephen

[Stephen White]

Couple more interesting Aussie Vietnam pics:

1971 3 Tp taking on a bunker system operating out of FSB Lindy:

3 Tp 1971 taking on bunker out of Lindy 2.jpg (18.49 KiB) Viewed 8832 times

3 Tp 1971 taking on bunker out of Lindy.jpg (24.41 KiB) Viewed 8832 times

And here is the business end of the 20 pdr cannister round which was favoured for bunker busting and clearing jungle:

vv_canister_round_2[1].jpg (57.93 KiB) Viewed 8832 times

Regards

Stephen

[Stephen White]

This has got to be one of the most useful Cent reference sites ever:

http://www.mvca.com.au/forum/viewtopic. ... &start=270

It's a 1:1 build blog for an Australian Mk 5/2 and is full of detailed shots of individual components and assemblies.

The owner is restoring his tank to production standard Mk 5/2 rather than keeping it in the Vietnam build standard. It was, I believe one of only two Aussies Cents remaining in original Vietnam condition but it does now represent the production standard and has fittings such as the turret cable reel re-fitted, which were removed for Vietnam.

HIghly recommended.

Regards

Stephen

[Stephen White]

I've been asked a couple of times about the diagrammes I use for detailing the Cent. I was very lucky to track down the complete Illustrated Parts Catalogue for the British Cents, not bad for £15. The three volumes are stuffed full of useful pictures (and a lot which are of no use whatsover).

I've just discovered that a kind soul has collected the most useful into a cracking book:



It's available here:

http://www.aviationbookcentre.com/milit ... 167_p.html

Recommended for anyone aiming to add detail to their Cents.

Regards

Stephen

[neil pudney]

thanks for the help on that stephen, i do have some references but this will be a bit more detailed i think. Best wishes,neil

[sean kerambrun]

Hi guys,

That Canadian book is awesome..

I have been posting on the military vehicle collectors Australia forum and they have been very helpful with info and are very keen to see the centurion build as I go.

I asked about the IR light and mount and they posted awesome pics for me.

http://www.mvca.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=244&t=2613

Cheers

Sean

[Kevin Hunter]

Hi Stephen

In your flowchart of the Centurion Marks, are the mods cumulative? For example, if I wanted to change the 5/2 model to a Mk 11, does it first require the applique glacis armour (making it a Mk 6) and then the .50 cal(?) ranging gun and the IR light to Mk 11?

Are you aware of any chronology for these variations? The internet is littered with descriptions of the Mks (some more vague than others) but none show implementation dates.

Regards

Kevin

[Stephen White]

Kevin

Short answer to your first question is yes, within the three broad development tracks. The Mark 5-6-11 track retained the shorter basic hull and more limited fuel capacity, the Mark 7 etc series were a new build series with an extended hull and the final Mk 8 series incorporated a revised turret with new mantlet and cupola (and the extended mark 7 hull). Within those three building blocks, the upgrades in capability (up-armouring, up-gunning, addition of IR capability and ranging machine gun were done roughly in parallel.

If you can give me some specific versions and mods, I might be able to tie them to time but in essence:

- The Mark 5s were produced 1955-58

- The Mark 7s were produced 1954-60

- The Mark 8s were produced 1956-60

By far and away the biggest production run, which established the fleets, were Mark 3s which remained in production between 1947 and 1956. These provided the basis for upgrades into the Mark 5 series.

Although the production in UK was driven by UK War Office requirements, there were a number of very significant export contracts, which explains partly why the tranitions weren't sequential, ie the export market was getting previous build standards at the same time as newer versions were in production for home and Commonwealth Markets. There was also a lot of horse trading, for example, Australian "topped up" their fleet of Mark 3s (which they upgraded to Mark 5s), with vehicles sourced from UK stocks in Hong Kong, new build Mark 5s and some hulls from New Zealand. So as you've discovered, it's a complicated picture.

Are you trying to establish what build standard was in service at a particular time, with your chosen Regiment, because that might be a bit easier to pin down?

Hope this helps.

Stephen

[Kevin Hunter]

Thanks for the response Stephen
As I said in my own build thread I am likely to model a vehicle of "The Royals" but I am struggling to get info from any veterans as to which Mks they operated. I have blagged my way onto 3 regimental bulleting boards using the family connection (as I'm a pure civvy) and while there is a lot of interest in the model I have yet to reach the right members for info!
The Mk11 was suggested by an ex Royal but really only as he had seen photo's and thought it looked good with thermal blankets on the barrel, IR light etc.
That's why I asked about the cumulative mods - have to guage what I choose to model against my limited skill base.
I'll persevere with the vets - we'll get there eventually!
Kevin

[michael hilton]

Hello, just thought this may be of interest. I remember as a young boy a school visit to F H Lloyds, James Bridge Steel Works, Darlaston, Walsall, in the late 1940s. We watched the castings being produced. Lloyds specialised in large high quality castings, some of which were for the Centurion tank. The photograph shows a 7-3/4 ton turret emerging from the 18 foot deep quenching tank. The photograph is from a History of Wednesbury. If I recall correctly the turret rings for the Centurion were also produced at Lloyds......Mick

[Stephen White]

Interesting photo, Mick, thanks for posting.

Here are some photos sent to me by Paul Scott, who is doing a world class restoration to factory condition of ARN 160091. Paul has been extremely generous in support. Thanks Paul.











Regards.

Stephen

[Fabrice Le Roux]

Stephen,
Has the needle-gun stripping revealed the original welds (ground off) of the spare track holders on 160091? Or are the C shaped marks some other fixture associated with fitting the applique armour?
Great surface texture detail in those photos. Thanks for posting.
Season's Greetings!
Fabrice